Rail-chair.



A. G. LIBBMANN.

RAIL CHAIR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1914.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUGUST G. LIEBMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR 'IO VIGNOLES RAIL CHAIR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

RAIL-CHAIR.

ar nes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Application filed June 20, 1914. Serial No. 846,326.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUcUsT G. LIEB- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway track appliances, and particularly to rail chairs, adapted to be used with the present type Vignoles standard rail.

The type of rail as used in railway tracks to-day reached its limit in its resistance to the stresses of traflic some years ago, and that the rail in a majority of cases is badly overloaded is very forcibly stated in the final report of the Train Control Board of Interstate Commerce Commission. The one-hundred pound rails in use today are only two and one-half times stronger than sixty pound rails, but the shocks to which the rail is subjected are eight times greater than to the sixty pound rail which was in general use ten or fifteen years ago. It has been proposed by engineers to increase the size and weight of the rail, but this has been found impractical in the manufacture and use of these rails, both from the standpoint of economy in rolling and in working the metal and in practice. In order that the base flanges for a greater weight of rail be thinned outwardly from the web sufficiently to accommodate the head of the spike and proportionate to increased weight and bearing surface, the rail head is left mushy or spongy on account of a necessary high rolling temperature. If this sponginess is corrected in the heads by allowing extra passes through the rolls during working, then before the head of the rails become thoroughly worked, the flanges cool ofl and break in the rolls and extra wide rail bases have not given the desired stability in all experimental tests up to date. Hence, it is obvious that rails must either be changed entire as to design, or that means shall be provided which shall resist the weaknesses of the present rails in use and reinforce these rails.

The theory of the Vignoles rail is to provide a rail that can be used without a chair, the combined stability being intended merely for the instant that the train passes. This stability in the rail is intended to be secured by the weight of the locomotive and rolling stock, and the usual spikes are used merely to prevent lateral displacement of the rails. Although the conditions have radically changed since the Vignoles rail was invented, yet, except for the increase in weight in this rail, no change has been made in the theory, and spikes are still used to resist the greatly increased lateral, vertical and tipping thrusts which are due to the increased speed of the trains and the increased weight of the rolling stock.

Where rails are placed directly upon the tie and held in place by spikes engaging the base flanges of the rails, it is necessary that the spikes shall not engage rigidly with the flange as in which condition the rail cannot sufliciently yield to the passing train, and where the rail is too rigidly held the shocks caused by flat wheels, bad joints, etc., will tend to break the rail. More than three-thousand derailments occurred in 1913, and of these a very large proportion were due to the breaking of the rail caused by overloading of the rail and the shocks to which it is subjected. If the rail is loosely held by the spikes so as to permit a neces sary vertical movement of the rail, then this vertical movement will rapidly wear the tie, causing its early disintegration. Furthermore, the tie will wear unequally, the base flange of the rail will not be properly supported over its entire area, and there is a great liability of the rail breaking. The rail must be supported in perfect contact with the tie over its entire basal area. It has been suggested to use wear plates disposed between the rail and the tie to overcome this sawing action of the rail, but, when these wear plates are held in place by spikes, the constant movement of the rail tends to shift the wear plates vertically and, as a consequence, gravel, or ballast works under the plates. This causes the tie to wear unevenly, destroys the sup ports for the plates and rail breakage occurs.

The primary object of the invention is to overcome the objections heretofore referred to by providing means which will afford a full area of support for the rail and which will brace the rail against the thrusts to which it is subjected without, however, necessitating the binding of the rail so tightly to the tie as to make it too rigid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail chair including a bed-plate which is held to the tie by permanent attaching spikes and held so closely to the face of the tie that a full area of support may be secured for it, and that no gravel or ballast can work between the bed-plate and the upper surface of the tie.

Another object is to so construct the chair that, while the bed-plate is securely held to the tie, yet the rail may have a certain amount of play.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the rail securing members that the screw-spikes, forming the primary fastenings of the bedplate to the tie and of the rail securing members to the rail and bed-plate, shall be protected against damage by the wheels of derailed cars, broken brake-beams or the like.

A further object is to provide means for securing the rail braces in snug engagement with the rail and abutments respectively, said means comprising perforated plates or washers adapted to fit over the screw-spikes and bear against the adjacent braces to hold said braces against rattling and displacement in case the nuts on the screw-spikes become loose.

A still further object is to so construct the bedplate in relation to the primary fastenings that the bed-plate will support the primary fastenings so that no binding strain will come upon these screw-spikes or fastenings.

Still another object is to provide a chair so constructed that different forms of rail securing members may be used in connection therewith to accommodate the chairs to various exigencies of operation.

A still further object, and a most important one, is to provide a simple fastening that will afford as much resistence to mechanical wear of the tie as the maximum resistance to decay obtained from methods of treating ties to preserve them, thereby obtaining the maximum life of a tie in service. In other words, under the present conditions of railroadtrafiic, it is more economically possible to use treated ties but the constant re-spiking or wear on the tie causes said tie to wear out before it decays. By the use of the improved rail chair, the mechanical wear on'the tie is so eliminated that the life of the tie is practically only limited by its freedom from decay.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tie, a standard or Vignoles rail thereon, and the improved chair; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, the rail being in section; Fig. A is a perspective view of one of the rail securing members or braces and perforated plate detached; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a form of rail clamp used where the rail is not shimmed and under ordinary service conditions; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rail clamp shown in Fig. 5 detached; and Fig. T is a perspective View illustrating a modified form of fastening for the rail securing means.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a rail of standard shape, and "B a tie upon which the rail is supported. The base-plate 2 is substantially rhomboidal in shape and is preferably formed of a section of channel iron having oppositely disposed upwardly extending abutments 3. The inner faces of these abutments are vertical. These abutments, as illustrated in Fig. 2, are disposed in parallel relation to each other but in angular relation to the short axis of the base 2 and, therefore, in angular relation to the longitudinal edges of the rail supported thereon. The base-plate is perforated at two points for the passage of the screw-spikes 41-, one of these screw-spikes being illustrated plainly in Fig. 3. Each screw-spike comprises a shank having a medially disposed head 5, that portion of the shank below the head being provided with wood screwthreads 6 and that portion of the shank above the head being formed with screwthreads 7 with which the nuts 8 engage. It will be seen that, when the spikes are screwed home, the heads 5 will bear against the upper face of the base-plate and hold the base-plate to the tie. These spikes constitute the primary fastenings for the chair and eliminate an unevenly worn surface of rail support.

The rail is held in place upon the chair in adjusted position by means of the rail securing members or clamps. One form of these rail securing members is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4:, while two other forms are shown in Figs.'5 and 7. In Figs. 1 to 4c each rail securing member 9 comprises a longitudinally extending wedge-shaped body portion 10 adapted to be disposed between the adjacent abutment 3 and the edge of the base i'iange of the rail. Each rail clamp is longitudinally slotted, as at 11, this slot extending parallel to the outer edge of the rail clamp. The nuts 8 are, of course, greater in diameter than this slot 11. The rail securing member 9 is formed at one end, preferably its smaller end, with an upwardly extending bracing web 12 which is vertically slotted at 13 to permit the rail clamp to pass the corresponding screw-spike 4 when the nuts 8 are removed. This bracing web 12 conforms to the contour of the rail and bears beneath the lower face of the head of the rail, the web of said rail, and against the base thereof. This web 12, therefore, supports the rail against tipping thrusts and transmits such tipping thrusts to the corresponding abutment 8. The slot 13 in the brace of the rail securing member compensates for lateral thrust U11- der stress.

As a means for securing the rail braces in snug engagement between the rail and abutments, there are provided suitable plates or washers 14 having openings 15 formed therein to permit the passage of the screwspikes. The plates or washers are positioned on the upper surfaces of the wedge shaped portions of the rail securing members with the inner ends thereof bearing against the adjacent vertical braces or webs 12 and serve to hold the braces against rattling and displacement in case the nuts on the screw-spikes become loose.

As the rail securing members are adjusted longitudinally of the rail to shift said rail to gage upon the bed-plate, the screw spikes engage the corresponding openings in the plates or washers, so that, regardless of the adjustment of the rail securing members, said members will be held against rattling or displacement, should, for any reason, the nuts become loose. Even should the nuts become loose on the screwspikes, the braces and rail may work in vertical movement without disturbing the gage of the track. This feature eliminates the hazard of accident due to wear and lost motion, as the rails cannot spread unless the braces are moved parallel to the abutments, which, as before stated, is impossible when the perforated plates or washers are used.

It will benoted that, owing to the fact that the permanent fastening devices or screw-spikes engage the inner ends of the wedge-shaped portions of the rail securing members, and the webs or braces the fishing space of the rail, said webs or braces can move vertically a limited degree and compensate for the deflection and re-coil of the rail under stress. It will also be noted that by loosening the nuts 8, the rail, together with th rail securing members, may be adjusted vertically between the abutments to permit shimming, said abutments being of sufficient height to brace the rail securing means when the rail is in difl'erent positions of vertical adjustment.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown another form of rail clamp. The clamp or securing member previously described is intended to be used where the rail is shimmed. The clamp shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is intended to be used under ordinary circumstances on a thoroughly ballasted road-bed and where there is good drainage. The clamp comprises a body portion 16 cut away on its under face, as at 17, to fit over the flange of the rail and having a wedging portion 18 longitudinally tapered to fit between the edge of the case flange and corresponding abutment. This rail clamp is relatively deep and in practice the inner edge of the rail clamp will be approximately two inches thick and the outer edge will be two and three fourths inches thick. Thus the inner edge of the rail clamp will extend up on the web of the rail a distance of approximately two inches. This rail clamp is preferably made of wood for the reason that under normal circumstances a wooden rail clamp will have a degree of resiliency which will permit deflection of the rail under loads and permit a proper play of the rail while holding it securely from lateral movement. Furthermore, the wooden rail clamp will reduce noise incident to the passage of trains to a very great extent.

The rail clamp 16 is longitudinally slotted, as at 19, for the passage of the screw-spikes 1. Preferably a washer-plate 20 will be disposed upon the upper face of the wooden clamp. This plate is also slotted, as at 21, so that it may be adjusted with the rail clamp. If desired, however, the rail clamp 16 shown in Fig. 6 may be made of metal.

Where no shimming is necessary, but where lateral adjustment is desired, the clamp shown in Fig. 6 may be used. This clamp may be readily adjusted, and inasmuch as it extends across the whole extent of the flange and has a relatively large area of contact with the web of the rail, it will fully support the web against lateral thrust disposed upon the base flange of the rail to one side of the rail chair. In the form shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the spikes project above the abutments only a relatively short distance and the nuts serve to protect the spikes. In Fig. 1 of the drawings, the web or brace 12 serves to protect the spikes from damage by engagement with the wheels of derailed cars or with brakebeams projecting and dragging from the cars. The form shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings also provides a construction which may be very cheaply made and which is adapted to general conditions and to permit shimming of the rail. The device further provides a very simple means for readily a adjusting the rail and holding it adjusted, the spikes are protected, and if wooden rail clamps are used the requisite elasticity is given to the rail securing means.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings there is illustrated a further modification in which the clamping nuts are dispensed with, the upper portion of the screw-spike being provided with a transverse slot 22, adapted to receive a wedge shaped key 23, the latter having its small end extending through the vertical slot in the adjacent web or brace and provided with a series oftransverse openings adapted to receive a cotter pin 24 which engages against the adjacent vertical face of the web or brace and serves to prevent accidental displacement of the key, it being merely necessary, however, to remove the cotter pin 24 in order to detach the wedges and permit adjustment of the rail. The abutments of the bed plate perform the dual function of holding the rail to gage in the diflerent positions of said rail, and as a means for supporting the rail braces in a truss-like manner, thus preventing buckling of the bed plate downwardly at its center and curling upwardly at its edges and permitting the employment of a bed plate of ordinary thickness.

Inasmuch the primary fastenings securing the base plate to the tie do not have to be changed in order to adjust the rail vertically or for gage, a thorough contact is secured upon the tie for the base plate and, therefore, one of the main causes of rail breakage or failures is entirely eliminated. The union between the plate and tie is permanent and the ballast cannot work under the plate and cause uneven wear to the tie.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members adapted to bear against the web of a rail and provided with wedge shaped portions for engagement with the base of the rail and said abutments, and fastening devices extending through the rail securing members and bed-plate for securing the bed-plate to a sub-structure, said abutments being of suflicient height to brace the web engaging portions of the rail securing members.

2. A rail chair including a bed-plate hav ing oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members disposed one in conjunction with each abutment, each rail securing member being longitudinally slotted and having a wedge-shaped portion for engagement with the adjacent abutment and the edge of a rail base, means for permitting vertical movement of the rail securing members, and means for holding the rail securing members in longitudinally adjusted position, said abutments being of suflicient height to brace the rail securing members when the latter are in vertically adjusted position. 7 o

3. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, said abutments extending diagonally with relation to a rail to be supported on the chair, and rail securing members disposed one in conjunction with each abutment, each rail securing member' being longitudinall T slotted and having a vwedge-shaped portion for engagement with the adjacent abutment and the edge of a rail base, means for permitting vertical movement of the rail securing members, and means for holding the rail securing members in longitudinally adjusted position, said abutments being of suflicient height to brace the rail securing members when in positions of both vertical and longitudinal adjustment.

4:. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, vertically and laterally adjustable rail securing members laving wedgeshaped portions bearing against the abutment and the base of the rail and provided with upstanding braces for engagement with the fishing space of the rail, and fastening devices piercing the wedge-shaped portions of the rail securing members and bed-plate, respectively, for securing the bed-plate to a sub-structure.

15. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, vertically and longitudinally adjustable rail securing members for holding a rail on the bed plate or on a shim between the abutments, each rail securing member being provided with a wedge-shaped portion for cooperation with the base of therail and the adjacent abutment, respectively, and fastening devices extending through the wedgeshaped portions of the rail securing members for holding said members in diflerent positions of longitudinal and vertical adjustment.

.6. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members provided with wedgeshaped portions for co'clperation with the base of a rail and said abutments, fastening devices extending through the wedgeshaped portions of the rail securing members, and means carried by the fastening de vices and bearing against the rail securing means for locking said rail securing means against longitudinal movement with respect to the rail.

7. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing means adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a rail and provided with wedge-shaped portions for cooperationwith the base of the rail and said abutments, there being slots formed in the wedgeshaped portions of the securing means, plates resting on the wedge-shaped portions of the rail securing means and provided with a plurality of openings, and fastening devices extending through the openings in the plates and slots in the wedge-shaped portions of the securing means for locking the rail securing means against longitudinal movement with respect to the rail.

8. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a rail and provided with wedge-shaped portions for engagement with the abutments and the base of the rail, said rail securing members being provided with upstanding braces adapted to engage the fishing space of the rail and fastening de vices extending through the wedge-shaped portions of the securing members and the bed-plate of the chair, there being vertical slots formed in the braces to accommodate the fastening devices when removing or applying the rail securing members.

9. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a rail and each provided with a longitudinally disposed wedgeshaped portion for cooperation with the base of the rail and adjacent abutment, each rail securing member being provided with an upstanding brace for engagement with the fishing portion of the rail, screw-spikes extending through the wedge-shaped portions of the securing members, nuts engaging the threads of the screw-spikes, and perforated plates resting on the wedgeshaped portions of the rail securing members and having openings formed therein to permit the passage of the screw-spikes, said plates by contact with the braces serving to limit the longitudinal movement of the rail securing members with respect to the rail.

10. A rail chair including a substantially rhomboidal shaped bed-plate having upstanding abutments laterally and vertically adjustable rail securing members for holding a rail on the bed plate or on a shim between the abutments, said rail securing members being provided with wedge-shaped portions for cooperation with the base of the rail and said abutments, and fastening devices extending through the wedge-shaped portions of the securing members and the bed-plate for securing the bed-plate to a sub-structure and holding the rail securing members in different positions of adjustment.

11. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, rail securing members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of a rail and each provided with a longitudinally slotted wedge-shaped portion for cooperation with the base of the rail and the adjacent abutment and having a vertically slotted brace for contact with the web of the rail, screw-spikes extending through the slots in the wedge-shaped portions of the securing members and bedplate for securing 'said bed-plate to a substructure, said screw-spikes being provided with shoulders contacting with the upper surface of the bed-plate, and clamping nuts engaging the upper ends of the screw-spikes for holding the rail securing means in adjusted position.

12. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed parallel abutments, said abutments extending diagonally with relation to a rail to be supported on the chair, oppositely disposed rail securing members having braces for contact with the fishing space of a rail and provided with longitudinally extending wedge-shaped portions adapted to bear against the abutments and the base of the rail, respectively, and fastening devices extending through the wedge-shaped portions and the rail securing members and bed-plate, respectively, for securing the bed-plate in position on a substructure.

18. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed parallel abutments, said abutments extending diagonally with relation to a rail to be supported on the bed-plate, and oppositely disposed laterally and vertically adjustable rail securing members having wedge-shaped portions for contact with the base of the rail and said abutments and provided with upstanding braces for contact with the web and head of said rail, and means for holding the braces in different positions of adjustment.

14. A rail chair including a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, extending diagonally with relation to a rail to be supported on the bed-plate, rail securing members adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the rail and adjustable laterally and vertically with respect to the bed-plate, said rail securing members being provided with wedge-shaped portions adapted to bear against the base of the rail and the abut ments, respectively, and having upstanding braces, fastening devices extending through the wedge-shaped portions of the securing members, and plates resting on the upper faces of the wedgeshaped portions of the securing members and bearing against the braces, said plates being provided with openings for the reception of the fastening devices.

15. The combination with a tie and rail, of a bed-plate having oppositely disposed abutments, said abutments extending diagonally with relation to the rail, oppositely disposed rail securing members having wedge-shaped portions engaging the rail and abutments and movable longitudinally of the rail in opposite directions, said wedgesh-a-ped' portions being longitudinally slotted, screw spikes for securing the bedplate to the tie and having'their upper ends extending through said slots, and means coacting with the upper ends" of the spikes for holding the rail securing members in adjusted position.

16. A rail chair including a bed-plate having an upstanding abutment, a laterally and vertically adjustable rail securing member having a longitudinally slotted wedgesliaped portion for engagement with the abutment and the edge of a rail base and provided with arr-upstanding" brace adapted to engage the fishing space of the rail, and means extendingthrough the slot in the wedge-shaped portion of the rail securing member for holding the bed-plate to a substructure and' the railsecuring member in adjusted position.

1-7. The combination with a tie and a rail,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five: cents each, by addressing Washington, D. C.

mas-p35 of a bed-plate permanently attached to the tie and provided with upstanding abutments, rail securing members provided with wedge-shaped portions for cooperation with the base of the rail and said abutments and movable laterally and vertically with the rail, said rail securing members being provided with upstanding braces engaging the fishing space of the rail, fastening devices extending through the Wedge-shaped p0rtions of the rail securing members and means carried by the fastening devices and bearing against the adjacent braces of the railsecuring members for locking said rail securing members against longitudinal movement with respect to the rail.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST G. LIEBMANN. [as] Witnesses:

J. K. Mooiin, J. EDWARD ESPEY.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

